Label: Metalville
Genre: Industrial Metal
Release Date: January 16th, 2025
Line Up:
Johannes “Johnny” Stecker – lead vocals, shouting
Felix Klemisch – guitars
Patrick Winzler – keyboards
Jonas Langer – bass
Mario Krause – drums
Tracklist:
1. Abaddon
2. sYn
3. No Kings For Me
4. Cutting Diamonds
5. sYnfluencer
6. Chaos & Amen
7. Dark Throne
8. Neon Battlefield
9. Sacred Skin
10. Not Metal Enough
11. sYnners Crown
12. If U Seek Amy (bonus track / cover – original by Britney Spears)
Three words will capture most industrial metal fans’ attention: Dark, catchy, uncomfortable. Gritty vocals pushing toward modern metalcore territory, anthemic choruses, synths, and dance beats all combine to deliver another exceptional piece of music—Soulbound’s fourth album.
As the title suggests, the album’s core theme revolves around sin. Naturally, this wouldn’t be a Soulbound record without the band’s unique reimagining, reinterpretation and representation of the concept. What emerges is an unmistakably Soulbound album that captivates you by the time the title track concludes.
If you’re unfamiliar with the band, their earlier material deserves your attention. Already a fan of Priest, Rave the Reqviem, Marilyn Manson, and similar industrial EDM acts? This album is made for you. Optimal listening conditions: wearing black, surrounded by darkness, volume cranked to 10 so punishing screams and beats on tracks like ‘sYnfluencer’ (clever wordplay noted) make your brain rattle inside your skull.
Similar to Rave the Reqviem’s V-for-U substitution in their name and track titles, Soulbound employs the same approach on ‘sYn’. The title track, ‘sYnfluencer’, and ‘sYnners Crown’ receive this treatment. While seemingly minor, this detail oddly pulls you deeper into examining the album cover, lyric sheets, artwork, and more—searching for hidden elements you might have overlooked. Minor detail it may be… yet it consumed my last hour when this review should have been written!
‘Chaos & Amen’ delivers a chorus I can fully embrace, then ‘Dark Throne’ decelerates everything to present a gothic-industrial infused track offering contemplative moments before concluding with some of Johannes Stecker’s most visceral vocals on the album.
Momentum builds again with ‘Neon Battlefield’—pure headphone-pogoing-around-the-room material. Thankfully, wireless headphones nowadays make this significantly safer for both furniture and limbs.
The album maintains its style through the closing tracks, with ‘Not Metal Enough’ addressing commentary from fans who should exercise better judgment but type away regardless of repercussions. Wait… I do that too! Ha. Well then… I love this—enough said.
Ratings: 10/10
Reviewed by Adrian Hextall
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